The day started off at around 7:15 in the lobby area of the
hotel. We sat down after getting our buffet-style breakfast then departed back
to Manhattan for an action-packed day.
Our first stop was in front of American’s Court house. We
waited a few moments until our guide greeted us. They took us up and down the
streets, showing us Chinatown, a surprisingly large portion of Manhattan with
many Asians who spoke their mother language. It truly is amazing how there can
be a culture within a culture.
Then we thanked out tour guides goodbye and hopped on the
bus. Lunch contained a sandwich full of jelly and cream cheese (not my favorite
but it is edible) with chips and a drink.
We ate while on the way to the Apollo Theater, known for their famous
celebrities and acts. We met a lovely man named Billy who told us of the
theater’s history. He’s quite the character, of course. Then, after the history
lesson we were given a crash-course on how to be a rock star.
The eleven acts which volunteered to go up which followed
being numbered and we were on our way to being rock stars. The acts included
singing, cheering, dancing, cartwheels, and of course, the chicken dance! Each
act was sure to rule the magic before performing.
Finally, after that concluded, the second to the last stop
was the 9/11 Memorial. The hassle to get through security was well worth it as
we walked into the gated area. The air was heavy and the memorial was
silent. We looked at the reflection
pools, walking each one slowly to take in all the names. Close to 3,000 names
lining each one. Many people outside and in the group cried as we were free to
roam. It had quickly hit home what had happened on September 11th,
2001, others it sunk in slowly. We all paid our respects to the people who lost
their lives.
We finished the day off with some cultural experiences,
dining in either Chinatown or Little Italy.
No comments:
Post a Comment